Staff
Signs encouraging the public to go smoke-free where children play will be installed at local playgrounds and parks after town council last night agreed to a proposal from the Northwestern Health Unit.
“It’s just to promote healthy lifestyle choices in Northwestern Ontario,” explained Coun. John Albanese, who also is chair of the health unit’s board—about the nine signs that will be put up at different locations around town.
They are considered to be an “advisory sign” and do not carry an enforcement component (i.e., no fines or bylaw enforcement come with them).
“It’s more a caution for the young kids to play without inhaling [what] someone sitting on the sidelines is smoking,” said Coun. Albanese.
“It’s not healthy, and we’re trying to encourage people to respect the young kids,” he stressed.
The signs—which will be provided by the health unit—feature the silhouette of a child playing soccer, alongside the “no-smoking symbol” and the words “We play here” and “Please don’t smoke.”
The town, meanwhile, will pick up the operational costs for the signs, using up to $1,000 from council’s public relations account.
Signs will be installed on existing poles or fences where possible to reduce costs.
The majority of municipalities across Northwestern Ontario are participating in installing these signs, Coun. Albanese noted, and he’s “very happy” that Fort Frances will be doing the same.
“Respect them, that’s the most important things. Respect the signs,” Coun. Albanese asked the public.
He added that if a person does see someone smoking at the playground, soccer fields, baseball fields, or anywhere where children are doing physical activity, to encourage that person to not smoke.
Also at last night’s regular meeting, council:
•approved Miller Group of Winnipeg as the town’s Municipal Special or Hazardous Waste (MSHW) service provider for a drop-off day slated for Saturday, Sept. 11 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m at the Public Works yard (900 Wright Ave.);
•approved a report for a bylaw amendment that will see civil marriage services offered by the town extended to include the provision of services outside of Fort Frances after normal office hours and on weekends, alongside applicable fees;
•denied a BIA request for a formal letter of support and financial backing commitment for a $10,000 loan to facilitate a study on creating a Market Square-type area within the downtown core;
•approved that the $2,150.86 in proceeds from the 2010 police action be donated to the Community Policing Committee for the delivery of safety and drug resistance education programs;
•approved a report to make a financial contribution of $1,000 to the Ontario Good Roads Association for the Minimum Maintenance Standards Litigation Fund;
•approved a report concerning requests for reconsideration re: 439 Third St. E., 533 Scott St., and 907 Crowe Ave.;
•approved a report that will ensure Tender 10-OF-10 for the painting and exterior upgrades for the water treatment plant and Sorting Gap Marina building is awarded to Clara Industrial Services Ltd. of Thunder Bay at an estimated cost of $345,969.84, including HST, and a $10,000 contingency allowance, and that the projected shortfalls of $198,830.88 for work at the water treatment be financed from the waterworks projects reserve fund and $7,388.28 for work at the Sorting Gap Marina building be financed from the corporate building reserve);
•received a verbal update on the biomass road construction project, Caul Bridge rehabilitation, and the water tower, as well as outlining the issues surrounding the capability of the town’s sanitary sewer lines and waste treatment plant to handle the levels the rainfall seen on July 1 and July 3-4;
•referred a request from the 2010 Northwestern Ontario Water and Wastewater conference organizing committee for a sponsorship opportunity to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from the Fort Frances Folk Festival organizing committee for sponsorship to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•approved a request from M&M Meat Shops to proclaim Sept. 16 as “National Family Dinner Night” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•referred a request from the Town of Atikokan for support of its resoultion re: review of the Off-Roads Vehice Act to the Economic Development Advisory Committee for its recommnendation;
•approved a bylaw to amend Bylaw No. 10/03 (the traffic control bylaw) to authorize new parking restrictions on part of the north side of the 900 block of Scott Street;
•approved a bylaw to amend Bylaw No. 06/09 (which prohibits the feeding of wildlife within Fort Frances) to include property owned by the town situated outside of town limits, including Sunny Cove Camp, Fort Frances Airport, and the landfill);
•awarded the contract for rehabilitation of Caul Bridge (Tender 10-OF-09) to White Contracting Ltd.;
•approved that no adjustment be made to aviation fuel pump prices at the Fort Frances Airport;
•authorized entering into a lease agreement with Brian Church at the Fort Frances Airport; and
•renewed a five-year term lot lease agreement with Patrick Langevin.
